All language subtitles for The Kings Warden, 2026.1080p.AAC2.0.H.264

The eternal traitor

is none other than Suyang,
sitting on that throne right now!

He who humiliated His Majesty

and threw this kingdom into chaos—
Han Myeonghoe, the vile traitor of the age,

will face heaven's punishment.

Han Myeonghoe, you wretch!

For stirring up rebellion

and seizing His Majesty's throne—

Heaven will never forgive you!

Your Majesty.

You must eat.

Take it away.

Your Majesty.

You must eat.

I said take it away.

You must eat, Your Majesty.

I said take it away!

Your Majesty.

Chief Secretary Han Myeonghoe
is here to see you.

Your Majesty.

It is I, Han Myeonghoe.

Come in.

I've heard it's already been two days.

Why have you refused to eat?

Is this my turn now?

What do you mean?

Is it now my turn to scream like the others?

They were traitors who conspired
against Your Majesty in secret—

they deserved to scream.

And Your Majesty
has committed no crime.

Why would you scream?

You had no knowledge of their plot,

and even if you had,

you would not have turned a blind eye to it.

Am I not right?

Or perhaps am I wrong?

I...

Where am I being taken?

Come on, shoot already!

Now—

- Ugh, damn it
- Ah!

There it goes, there it goes!

Damn it!

- The deer got away!
- You were screaming right in my ear!

Go after it, hurry!

Geez,
you could've hit it just throwing the arrow.

Which way did it go?

Why do you two
always end up fighting?

Damn it.

Hey— spread out! Spread out!

Spread out!

Ugh, damn.

Ugh!

I told you to keep it down.

Nobody listens to a word I say.
Damn it.

Not one ounce of respect
for the village head.

Ugh.

Chief!

Where are you!

Chief!

- Where's he hiding now
- Ugh, damn

What's gotten into him?

Aigo.

Huh?

It's the king.

Ugh, damn.

Help! Somebody help!

Hey! What are you doing
lying out here!

Just let me sleep.

Oh for crying out loud.

Everyone else is going crazy
trying to catch a deer

and this guy's just passed out
sleeping, look at him—

Oh come on, seriously!

Oh, right.

He's always slept a lot, even as a kid.

Everyone let's go—

A ti— a tig— a tiger—

A tiger...!

Rest, Father.

Passed out sleeping
on a mountain, of all things.

Help me.

Damn it.

Help me—

I—

Ah!

Ah.

Uh— hey, sir—

Sir.

Where am I?

Hmm?

Is that real?

Wow.

It's white rice.

What?

Oh!

Guess I really did die.

So this is what paradise looks like, huh?

Oh!

Wait, this—

This is real!

He's awake!

He's up!

You were knocked out cold at the bottom
of the valley— thank goodness you're alright!

Oh, yes, yes, uh—

But your face—
I don't recognize you.

Where are you from?

Oh, uh— I'm from Gwangcheongol,
over that way.

Gwangcheongol? Gwangcheongol?

And what's the name
of this village—

This here is Norugol.

Ah, Norugol— where is that again?

How'd you end up all the way out here?

Oh well, I was trying to hunt a deer,

- and I was like this, tracking it—
- Hunt a deer?

- Hunt?
- Yes.

Why would you hunt a deer?

Well,
obviously to catch and eat it.

- You'd catch and eat a deer?
- Sure.

A deer—
that gamey thing—

You'd actually catch
and eat that?

- Oh, people used to eat it
- Aigo—

We can't even
get our hands on that these days.

By the way, is there some big occasion
in the village

that you're throwing such a big feast?

Oh, today is
my boy's birthday.

You're throwing a feast like this
just for a kid's birthday?

Well,
figured I'd put something simple together.

What kind of kid
is worth all this fuss?

It's a good day—
come have a drink with us!

Have some meat too, yeah?

Oh— aigo—
Would that really be alright?

This isn't deer.

Yes.

Look at him,
eating with his hands.

Oh, I— I guess
I was just so hungry.

People in other villages

have nothing to eat—
they're practically starving—

but how do you all manage
to eat so well here?

Hmm?

Looking at you,

you seem pretty clueless,
so let me fill you in.

One day,
an old man with a long beard

came to our village.

He was a Minister of Justice.

Let me pay my respects.

A high-ranking nobleman from Hanyang

sent to this mountain backwater

in exile.

We had to provide him
a place to live,

serve him meals at dawn and dusk,

and send people
to wait on him...

out of our meager village stores,
we had to set his table three times a day.

Catch that! Bring it here! Now!

And on top of that,
this insufferable man

still acted like he was
some big-shot official,

ordering the villagers around
like servants— ugh, damn.

But then one day,

- something started arriving.
- Bring me meat every meal!

What did?

Donkeys.

- Donkeys?
- Yeah.

Don— donkeys? What?

Donkeys loaded with goods

started filing into Norugol.

Antler velvet from Dongrae.

Meat, rice, dried persimmons,
silk—

those nobles in Hanyang
had good instincts.

They could sense that
this Minister of Justice

was about to be reinstated
to the court.

And since he was bored,
the man started teaching the village kids.

So those illiterate village kids
quickly finished the Thousand Character Classic,

the Analects, Confucius, Mencius—

they got a real education.

Just as those bribe-sending nobles
had predicted,

not long after,

the exile ended and the minister
returned to Hanyang,

took the brightest kids
to study further,

and one of them passed
the civil service exam at the top.

In short,
the village had struck gold.

Joyful!

Gold?

That's right.

And that same gold vein
could strike in our village, Gwangcheongol.

How?

Not long ago, Hanyang was in an uproar—

a king was ousted and a new king
took the throne, right?

So there must be nobles
getting sent into exile left and right.

And one of them is coming to exile right here in Yeongwol.

Keep this between us, okay?

Who is it?

Oh, some powerful
high official, probably.

Broad-shouldered, imposing—

wearing a big hat with a long
dignified beard, I'd imagine.

What good is that?
He'll just end up in Norugol anyway.

No!

We have to do
whatever it takes

to bring that noble
to Gwangcheongol.

If we manage to host him right,

then after that, nobles will just keep
streaming in— one after another—

Ugh, dried fish— ah—

- Sounds delicious
- Right?

No, that's not going to work.

Ugh.

You think nobles come into exile and suddenly have a change of heart?

Drunk every day, harassing women—

the slightest thing rubs them wrong,
they run to the magistrate

and get the whole village in trouble.

Yeah, that's true—
exiled nobles—

You have to house them, feed them,
wait on them—

and keep watch to make sure
they don't run away—

and if anything goes wrong
with the noble—

our whole village
goes up in flames.

Every tree burning to the ground.

Then forget it! Damn!

- Oh...
- Such a pessimist—

It's Makdong's birthday—
what are you going to feed the kid?

Nothing to feed him, so I'll just
smack him a few times

and put him to bed with water, right?

Ugh...

But in Norugol—

for a kid's birthday, they've got
meat soup and white rice—

everyone gathering together,
rubbing their full bellies—

Chicken, pork,
you name it.

On your own kid's birthday.

Ah...

White rice, steaming—

damn...

just rising in puffs of steam—

Ugh, damn.

And the rice all pearly white—

just glistening with oil—

I seriously thought
I'd died and gone to paradise.

Bottom line—

when's the last time

we had white rice? Huh?

Can you even remember?

The day I got married.

That was the last time—
yeah, that's right.

Sure, when the noble
first comes from Hanyang

it'll be a little rough at first—
unfamiliar and all—

but after that—

donkeys loaded with rice and meat
showing up every day—

meat soup and white rice
every single day.

Till we're absolutely stuffed!
Every day!

Every day, yeah?

I want to—

White rice—

I want to try it too.

Just once.

Me too.

Just once? Come on.

Ugh, ugh.

Makdong.

I promise I'll get you white rice.

Okay.

Hey, Gwangcheoni—

Oh!

What brings you
all the way from Gwangcheongol?

Oh, I was up on the mountain
and suddenly things got urgent—

- Hm? - Oh, someone I know was in real trouble.

Oh, but what brings you here?

Oh, I'm here at the magistrate's office—

to receive another nobleman.

Oh, receiving a noble— ah, I see.

- Are you with them?
- Me?

That damn thief—

Stop that thief!

Magistrate, sir!

Oh, sir—

- Sir, sir
- Ugh—

- Sir, sir
- Sir

I have something
I need to tell you, just a moment—

Let me speak first, sir.

Alright— quiet down.
Shh.

Then I'll—

I'll speak very quietly—

you just listen, sir.

No, I arrived two steps ahead of him!
I did, sir— yes—

Let me speak first.

Oh, alright, alright—

You talk first.

But—

Quietly— shh— quietly.

Understood.

Do you know of a place called Cheongnyeongpo,
deep inside Gwangcheongol?

What's Gwangcheongol
and what's Cheongnyeongpo?

You see—

Even the magistrate doesn't know it—
imagine how remote it is.

Within the land of Yeongwol,

there's a mountain valley
called Gwangcheongol,

and inside Gwangcheongol,

even deeper in, is Cheongnyeongpo,
sir.

So?

So what I'd like to say is—

Cheongnyeongpo is
the ideal place for exile—

Get out of the way,
you lowlife!

He's trying to pull a fast one on you.

In Yeongwol, the exile location
has always been Norugol.

Everyone sent here has been satisfied,

and some even said
they didn't want to leave—

and now you want to
change the exile location?

That's utterly absurd, sir.

I beg for your wise judgment.
Yes, sir.

- Shh, shh, shh
- Yes, yes, yes, yes—

Shh, shh.

Alright.

The exile location will be—

Ah, just make it Norugol.

Sir!

Ah, damn—

Hey—

Sir, sir!

Sir, please—
just hear me out once—

I've heard plenty. Get out!

Someone drag this man out immediately.

About Cheongnyeongpo—

- Just give me one more chance—
- Why all this commotion?

What madman
is causing a scene here?

I was in the process of throwing him out.

I'm not mad. I'm perfectly sane, sir.

Sir, I am the former head officer
of Yeongwol—

Eom Heungdo, village head
of Gwangcheongol, sir.

What are you doing—
drag this man out at once!

Stop.

Eom Heungdo.

- Yes, yes, yes
- Right.

Why do you want your village
to become an exile site so badly?

Oh...

Hmm.

Even badgers lose their way

and raccoons drop dead wandering in—
an island within the land,

a land unto itself—

Cheongnyeongpo.

In summer it's unbearably sticky
and humid,

with black mountain mosquitoes
everywhere—

and in winter, cold air rises
up from the river

while freezing wind sweeps down
from the cliffs—

it is a place that is absolutely
miserable to live in.

There is no better place for a man to reflect on his sins.

Even I, who have lived there
for many years—

from the moment I open my eyes
to when I close them at night...

I designate this place as
the new exile site.

Oh thank you, thank you,
bless you sir—

Thank you, sir, bless you—

Can you handle it?

Whoever ends up coming.

Oh, yes, absolutely, of course—

Yes, of course, yes.

Whoever comes will be
just fine, sir. Yes.

I have a sword in one hand

and a table set with food in the other.
I will come for you again.

Which one comes your way depends entirely on you.

Yes, I'll keep that firmly in mind, sir.

Yes, I'll stake my life on it—

I'll do everything
perfectly, sir.

Yes, sir.

Yes.

Aigo.

The criminal Nosan-gun shall receive the royal decree.

Regarding the treasonous plot of
Song Hyeon-su, the former king's father-in-law—

it has come to light
that the former king was aware of it...

For the treasonous crimes of Seong Sam-mun,
Park Paeng-nyeon, and the other conspirators—

death by dismemberment
has been carried out,

and for complicity in their conspiracy,

Prince Geumseong has been sentenced
to exile—

yet acts of sedition, large and small,
have not ceased.

Regarding the treasonous plot of
Song Hyeon-su, the former king's father-in-law—

it has now been fully revealed
that the former king was aware of it.

The former king is hereby demoted
to the title of Nosan-gun

and sentenced to exile,
to pacify the unrest of the nation.

Please be well, Your Majesty.

Are you going to sit there
all day long?

Those people over there can't work.

Hurry and bring those roof tiles!

Ugh, so noisy.

Oh, come on!

A great nobleman from Hanyang is coming— there cannot be a single mistake.

Ugh— bring me some water, please.

What? This?

Yes.

Ugh—

Hey, if you heard me, bring it over now!

How can you not lift
a single finger?

Get it over here!

Ugh, this is so frustrating—

Ah, here—

Ugh,
there's no time for water breaks.

The nobleman's arriving
in less than a month.

Every pair of hands counts.

There's no time for that—
no time for water.

Hmm?

- But grandpa
- Hmm?

What was this place originally?

Oh, a shaman used to live here,
back in the day.

- A shaman?
- Scary, right?

So from now on,
you absolutely cannot come in here.

- Yes
- Oh, come on—

Ugh, taking all the time in the world—

Oh, watch out— careful—
oh, ah!

I told you to be careful—
now what do we do?

- Hey, seriously!
- Ugh—

Do you know how much
one roof tile costs?

- And—
- Get down.

Don't grow up to be like that man.

- Get down.
- Yes.

Get down!

Damn.

The quarters are getting
built out nicely now—

just waiting for the noble to arrive—

Oh! Has the nobleman arrived already?

Yes, come this way, this way—

Right, this way,
come this way—

What's that sound?

Oh, he came with a donkey—

How observant of you!

Yes, yes—
right this way, please.

Hey, donkey— you stay right there,
you're not coming in.

Stay there, unload the bags.

Come now, your lordship,
right this way—

Oh...

Oh! You startled me!

There's that—

Stop wasting time with that bow
when you should be studying—

that bow and arrow—

Oh, Taesan—

You— hm?

You mastered the Thousand Character Classic at six and the Elementary Learning at eight— and at ten, you were studying History—

why are you wasting that sharp mind on things like that?

It's not too late—
start preparing for the civil service exam.

Father.

Do you even know
what the civil service exam is like?

- What—
- Hmm?

It's not that I don't want to do it.

Out here in the middle of nowhere—

are there any of the Four Books
and Three Classics?

Or a teacher
to instruct me?

Hmm?

There will be a teacher.

A nobleman from Hanyang is coming soon— a high-ranking one at that.

Learn from him, and you can sit the civil exam—

who knows?

Get in his good graces,
maybe he takes you up to Hanyang?

You think a nobleman
is going to help people like us?

Have you ever seen
a noble do that?

- Ugh
- So what—

Looking at what you've set up—
it's not bad at all.

Good work, everyone.

Hm? Oh.

Ehh, well.

So who's coming, do you think?

With how hard the chief worked to arrange this, - someone decent will come. - Aigo, let's hope so.

Ugh, I've got a bad feeling about this.

This one's going to be a waste again.

From the start it didn't feel right—

Ugh.

Alright, alright—
listen up everyone!

The life of this village
depends on this, right?

So don't do anything rash—

even if the noble acts out,
just smile, okay?

Just bow and say "yes, yes"—

that's right—

Someone's coming over there!
Over there!

- He's here!
- Chief, hurry!

He's here, he's here!

The gold vein is here! The gold vein!

Smile, smile, smile!

Smile!

Smile!

Yes.

Is a raft the only way
to cross the river?

Yes, that's right.

The palanquin and the women
ride the raft—

the rest swim across.

- Yes
- Ah, yes—

Damn it.

What are you doing?

Damn.

You— pull the raft.

Yes.

- Load the palanquin.
- Yes.

Oh, careful—

Careful, careful.

One, two—

Hmm?

- He has no beard.
- Chief!

Ready!

Pull!

Pull!

Let's go!

Heave—

Ho!

- Heave—
- Ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Hey! It's drifting downstream,
downstream!

- Heave-ho, heave-ho
- Pull harder, more!

- Heave—
- Ho!

Heave—

Hey, why isn't it moving?

- What's happening?
- What's going on?

It's caught on something.

It's stuck!

Pull harder, harder!

Hey, what are you doing!

Damn!
What's it caught on?

That's it!

More!

More, more— harder!

Pull!

- Oh no, it all came apart!
- Aigo—

Sir!

Your Majesty!

Sir!

Get in— what are you doing, get in!

Are you alright?

Oh, sir, sir—

Stay still, stay still.

Stay still.

What are you doing? Hurry!

No, you can't just yank it—

you have to work it
from underneath. Ugh.

Alright, alright—
Taesan, put it in here, try it.

- This way?
- Anyway—

Hold on— no long beard?
No dignified old noble—

a scraggly young kid shows up?

What's going on?

Right— what terrible thing could he have done to exile someone this young? Ugh.

Hey, chief—

do you know the young noble's name?

They said Nosan. Nosan.

What? Nosan?

He won't last a month.

What do you mean, a month?

Are you saying Nosan
might take his own life?

That boy—

with no father,

no subjects,

no palace—

it won't be easy for him.

Hmm.

You may well be right.

But don't forget—

Nosan's uncle
and the king's own brother—

Prince Geumseong—

is stationed just
a short distance from Nosan.

Your Highness—

We— will stand by you, Your Highness.

We pledge our lives to follow you.

We pledge our lives
to follow you.

All of you— thank you.

Are you awake?

I've prepared your meal.

Yes— I'm Eom Heungdo,
the guardian in charge.

What a chaotic first day—
quite a situation you've been thrown into.

That blasted raft
getting stuck on a rock—

ugh—

if I hadn't braced it with my pole,
by now you could've

been swept all the way downstream—
it was that close.

To regain your strength,
you need to eat well from morning.

The village people prepared this
with all their heart—

- before it gets cold, please—
- Leave.

Pardon?

I told you to leave.

Leave?

His Lordship is not
in a good state of mind—

please take your leave.

Excuse me—
I'm the guardian here.

It's my duty to check on you
morning and evening and report—

and you won't even see me
on the first day—

He told you to leave, did he not?

You there!

Can't you hear me?

Take that table and get out!

Come on, let's go—

Unbelievable.

Quite the temper.

Ugh.

"Can't you hear me?
Get out!"

"You there"? Damn!

Playing the noble with this act—
this brat

just completely rude—

talking to an elder like that—

Ugh.

Fine.

Whatever he throws at us,
we just smile through it. Right.

Smile and bow
and say "yes, yes"—

Yeah, damn it.

Aigo, damn.

But why won't he eat this delicious food? Hmm?

Oh my.

Hmm.

You'll burst a cheek
doing that.

It's a misunderstanding—
a misunderstanding.

A misunderstanding.

It's not that I wanted to eat it—

there's a rice weevil in here
this big—

It's a misunderstanding, okay?

- Magistrate
- Oh—

Magistrate, sir—

Why are the soldiers
being pulled back?

Did you not know?

Oh, no, I—

Normally,
watching over an exile site

isn't a soldier's job—
it's the guardian's job.

So on the first and fifteenth
of every month, report in—

and inform me of
even the smallest thing.

Oh yes, of course, absolutely.

Analects.

The Doctrine of the Mean.

Good grief.

Oh, by the way—

Have you all heard?

The former king has been sent
into exile here in Yeongwol.

Oh, we heard all right.

They said he went to Cheongnyeongpo
or somewhere like that.

- Cheongnyeongpo?
- Yeah.

Aigo.

Oh, ugh.

Ugh.

- How was it?
- What?

The food—
did it suit his taste?

Aigo.

He didn't touch it.

What?

- He didn't touch it?
- No.

We went without just to prepare
that meal for him—

Damn it.

Oh, he must be ill.

Or lost his appetite.

What do you mean,
no appetite? Hmm?

Ugh, this precious food—

Wait, what's this?

He didn't touch it,
but it's not all here?

Someone's already eaten half of this!

Huh, huh—

He wasn't eating, so the lady-in-waiting—
she started eating it.

And I caught her red-handed.

But Nosan absolutely refused to eat—

cheeks all puffed up
like they'd burst—

and still refused.

So can we give this
to our Makdong then?

Ehh—

We don't throw away leftovers here.

Makdong!

He ate it—
that man ate it!

The bite marks match
his mouth exactly.

Oh, let it go.

Hey, Gwangcheoni!

Hm?

My goodness,
what brings you all the way out here?

Hm?

Oh, let's speak quietly.

I understand how you feel, but—

it's not going to change anything.

I didn't come here to fight.

Oh?

This is a hen we raised
on only the finest grain.

- Here, take it.
- Oh?

Here, deodeok root too—

Fresh deodeok, take it.

Why are you giving me these—

You took the anger meant for us—
a chicken is the least I can do.

- Oh, here
- You don't have to—

And this here is
the pride of Norugol—

- lion's mane mushroom.
- No—

Why would you give me this—

Really.

Thank you.

Well, I never.

What is with these people—

they say thank you
and leave me all this stuff?

Father.

Yes?

Do you know who the exiled noble is?

Oh, sure— Nosan.

Yes— do you know
who that Nosan actually is?

Oh, come on—
Nosan is Nosan.

Nosan-gun, Yi Hong-wi.
Yi Hong-wi.

Not long ago, he was the king of this country.

What is wrong with you—

What? King?

King.

- King?
- King!

Can you handle it?

Whoever comes.

Your Majesty.

- King?
- King?

That young boy—
was the king?

- Aigo
- Apparently.

Wait, wait—
if he's the king, he's the king.

But— can they really exile a king?

They can exile a former king?

Listen—

Nosan became king following
his father who was king,

but after his father died,

Prince Suyang staged a coup
and took the throne.

All his loyal subjects
were put to death,

and Nosan was demoted to Nosan-gun
and sent into exile here.

- Goodness
- But rather than just killing him—

you don't usually exile
someone who was king.

And there are many
who pity him—

so they'll likely send
the poison cup before long.

P— poison cup?

That's fatal—
if you drink it, you die.

Then what happens to us?

If something happens to Nosan,
are we—

Oh well— if something happens
to an exile—

Aigo.

Something will happen
to the exile site too.

Those who supported Nosan-gun—

they were all torn limb from limb
alive

and tortured to death.

All their property seized,

wives and children— even kids like Makdong—
all sold off.

Aigo,
what a wretched fate.

Oh no, what do we do?

What did I tell you?

We're as good as dead now.

It's all that chief's fault!

What do you mean,
"as good as dead"?

Talking nonsense about things
you don't understand! Damn!

I heard it directly—
from Minister Han Myeonghoe himself—

with my own ears—

he said Nosan-gun would be brought back
to Hanyang before long.

Heungdo, is that the truth?

Oh, come on— you know me—

I come from a good family.

Put a blade to my throat
and I still won't lie.

Oh well, alright then.

- Of course
- Oh.

- Just rumors, just rumors.
- Ehh—

Couldn't be.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

- I am Seong Sam-mun.
- I am Park Paeng-nyeon.

- I am Ha Wi-ji.
- I am Yi Gae.

- I am Yu Seong-won.
- I am Yu Eung-bu.

Why did you
abandon us, Your Majesty?

Your Majesty.

Do not suffer so.

I will soon come to you all.

Was I asking for something so great?

Just to have white rice to eat—
to live well—

to give my child an education—

to live like a human being
for once—

out of all the nobles
in this land—

why did I have to bring home
someone like you!

I begged and pleaded
to make this happen—

I held onto this dream—

and I ended up with
a walking disaster like you—

Oh, ah—

Walking disaster.

Where is everybody?

Oh—

Ugh.

Right here—

It's a misunderstanding, I tell you—

Oh, I didn't realize
who you were all this time—

But what brings you
out here in the dead of night?

Ugh.

Oh— that area is dangerous—

There's a cliff— a cliff over there!

What are you doing?

Hmm?

Come away from there.

No, stop!

Why are you doing this?

Let go.

Please.

Let go of my hand.

I won't.

If you die— our village dies with you.

Really.

I give up.

What?

Oh, yes.

What did you say?

Yes— he tried to kill himself.

An exile—

Who?

Nosan-gun.

Last night when I went to check—

I climbed Yukyukbong—

and Nosan-gun was about
to jump off the cliff.

- Off the cliff?
- Yes.

Good heavens— what happened?

I rushed over and
barely managed to pull him back.

If it weren't for me,
we'd have been done for.

Ugh.

What happened last night must not be
spoken of to anyone. Understood?

Yes.

And you— watch Nosan-gun's
every single move.

Keep close watch.

Yes.

I'll keep that in mind.

Hey—

What is this?

- Ugh
- Dried fish.

Pearly white rice—

Where did all these precious things
come from?

Oh, it came from
the magistrate's office.

Sent for his lordship.

- Taesan
- Lucky him.

You need to take these to him.

Me?

The chief said he had business
at the magistrate and asked me to do it instead.

And you are— who?

The son of Eom Heungdo,
village head of Gwangcheongol

and guardian.

My name is Taesan.

Why are you still standing there?

I'm going to watch you eat before I leave.

I've heard you've been skipping meals.

People who have lived on
only the finest food—

I suppose they find
what ordinary people eat to survive

beneath them.

How dare you.

Hold your tongue.

When I take back an untouched tray,
the people who can't afford to eat

should by rights resent you

and be angry—

but instead they wonder

whether you're sick,

whether the food isn't
to your taste—

they worry first.

Then— you eat it.

You called for me?

Pass this along.

What do you...

Tell them I ate well.

Yes.

We need to scrape that bowl clean—
every last bit.

Oh, let's try again!

Here—

I'm back!

Oh— how— did he eat?
Did he eat?

The bowl is completely empty!

- He ate everything?
- Yes.

He finished it all?

Yes.

Now that is something.

Please tell the villagers he says
he ate very well and thank them—

that's what he said to pass along.

Oh, how grateful I am.

He's got a heart after all—
a human heart.

Yes, human heart...

Well, I'll be.

Next time—
I'll go myself. Me, okay?

Aigo.

What is this?

It's a letter sent to you
by Prince Geumseong.

Why have you not opened it?

Your Majesty.

I am afraid.

Of what this letter says—

and of the fact that it was
sent to me at all.

I am simply afraid.

That blasted— ugh.

Sigh.

Tsk.

Excuse me—

what brings you all the way out here?

Have you perhaps seen
Lord Nosan today?

No.

Is he not in his quarters?

Yes.

I went on an errand to the magistrate's
and he was gone when I returned.

I've searched everywhere around— and there's no sign of him anywhere.

Hmm.

Oh, well then—

Let go.

Let go of my hand.

Damn it.

I barely saved you, and now—

It is a letter sent to you
by Prince Geumseong.

Ugh.

Ugh!

You want to die that badly?

What are you saying?

Right now the village people are searching for you in a panic—

thinking only of yourself,
always wanting to die—

are you really so selfish?

What did you say?

- How dare you—
- Yes! Yes!

How dare I, how dare I!

Are you out of your mind?

Yes, I'm out of my mind!

Would I do this if I weren't?

I wanted to fill
the village bellies a little—

give my kid an education—

I went through all that trouble
to bring you here—

and every day you're off somewhere
trying to throw yourself off something—

of course I'd lose my mind!
Wouldn't you?

Wouldn't you?

- Ugh
- You there!

There he is!

What are you doing?

Oh— you're going to get hurt—

Ugh.

Ugh.

My goodness.

Are you alright?

Yes.

What— what's wrong with him?

- I don't know.
- Hmm?

Ugh, I'm dizzy.

It's— it's the king!

We found him— the king!

No— not there,
over there— the king—

Huh— wh— what?

Oh no, oh no—

Ti— tiger!

Stay still,
stay still, stay still!

Do something!

Quiet, quiet!

Help! Help!

Makdong's father, what do we do?

A tiger—

only takes one person.

Once it gets one,
it leaves the rest alone.

Sir, no— don't!

I've lived long enough.

Everyone— stay healthy

and live well.

I'm going.

What do you mean—
where are you going?

Taesan!

Taesan!

Hey! Over here!

Hey, over here!

Over here!

Hey, over here!

You there!

Your fight is with me.

Good heavens.

- Oh, sir
- Sir!

- Heavens
- Sir, sir!

- Sir
- Oh, sir!

The tiger—

- It went after Nosan?
- Yes!

We nearly had a complete disaster!

I'm still shaking.

- Nearly? - What?

So this time too,
you saved Nosan?

No, no—

This time Nosan-gun
saved me and all the villagers.

What nonsense are you
talking about?

It's not nonsense, not at all!

It's all true.

Every single word of it
is true.

Nosan-gun—

No wait, Nosan-gun—

he did this—

like so—

a stretch?

No, no, no— the bow,
the bow—

he pulled it taut and then— ROAR—

The tiger roared? Nosan-gun?

No!

Why would Nosan-gun roar?
The tiger roars!

And then Nosan—

"Your fight is with me."

"Come at me."

And I don't know
if the tiger understood that—

I think it did—
it seemed like it understood—

the moment he finished speaking,
it charged—

reared up roaring—

and he let the arrow fly—

Whoooosh!

Dead on—

- Bull's-eye!
- Bull's-eye! Right on target!

The tiger went off the cliff—

and Nosan—

Incredible.

Aigo.

After all that commotion yesterday— I can barely even lift a spoon.

I wonder if his lordship
is alright, though.

Right, I wonder.

He came all this way and hasn't been eating properly— and collapsed like that yesterday—

I know, I know.

But from that slim frame—
where does that courage come from?

Standing in front of that tiger—

putting his life on the line
like that—

you'd need a genuine heart
for the people.

He was the king of a nation, after all.

Yeah.

Ugh.

Over there— there, there—

Over there—

You're up, sir?

Feeling alright?

Never you mind.

Just leave the tray.

No, but still—

I'd like to see with my own eyes
that you're okay—

before I go.

I told you to just leave it.

Hold on—

Why are you being
so cold to me?

Hm?

Yesterday— Yesterday!

What?

Have you forgotten
what happened yesterday?

What?

Ugh.

Even someone with no education at all—

there are proper ways to behave,
there are limits—

how dare you raise your voice
at his lordship,

grab him—

How dare you, how dare you!

Oh, I didn't—

I didn't grab anybody!

I just— I held him like this—

Besides, how would you know
whether I'm educated or not—

do I have to spell it out for you?

Even if—

alright, even if I really
am uneducated—

saying it right to my face—

Ugh, I don't even want to talk—

- Ah, ah—
- Go ahead—

Hm.

Sir.

Are you alright?

My stomach... is empty.

I'm not leaving
until you've finished eating.

Oh yes, alright— I'll go.

But honestly, if it weren't
for you—

my boy and the villagers

could have come
to real harm.

I can't begin
to repay this debt.

I was up all night— worried about you.

I just wanted to see
with my own eyes that you're eating.

If you'd like—

shall I wait outside?

Your tone is different from yesterday.

Oh, ugh—

You're the first person
who's ever

shouted at me like that.

Oh, my lord—

Oh, my lord, oh—

And what's more—

you grabbed my collar too.

I— when did I ever
grab your collar—

Oh, damn it.

What, what?

What did you just say?

What did I say?

Did you just say that word?

I never said—

Oh, ah—

It's more like— this became
a turning point

for me to see you
in a whole new light.

How could I say
something like that?

I mean, you killed a tiger that size—

truly a turning point.

But— you're saying you
volunteered for this place to become the exile site?

- What do you mean?
- Hmm?

Didn't you say that up on the mountain
yesterday?

Oh— I absolutely cannot
tell you that.

So you came here then.

The guardian had been expecting
a Minister of Justice—

someone with connections
to send donkeys,

networks to advance careers—
and instead I showed up.

Is that so funny to you?

Imagining the guardian's face
when he found out who I was—

I had not imagined such a story behind it all.

And yet—

not only did I fail to fill
the villagers' bellies—

I've only been receiving meals.

Oh, not at all—

You just need to—

simply enjoy your meals,
your lordship.

Oh, you're here!
You're here!

Aigo.

How is Nosan-gun?

- Is he alright?
- Sigh.

What is it?
What happened?

He finished the whole bowl.

- Oh!
- Incredible!

Oh— I guess
it suited his taste.

What did I say—

Kingly spirit! Kingly!

- Oh!
- Look at that surprise.

And he asked about you.

Really.

He asked—
about me?

Who made this soup?

Oh, I went to the Donggang River
at the crack of dawn

and caught the freshwater snails
myself for this soup.

You caught them yourself?

Well, not cooked it myself—
I caught the ingredients.

No— who cooked this soup?

The skill is better than
the royal kitchen.

Oh, that's Makdong's mother—
a woman in the village who cooks well—

there might occasionally
be a stray hair in it—

Is she called Makdong's mother
because Makdong is her son?

Yes, that's right.

Makdong is young
but very clever—

an absolutely sharp kid.

Oh, and this—

this porridge—

it's made from freshwater fish
caught in traps he set.

And this side dish—
seasoned with wild pepper—

gathered by the eldest villager
from the cliffs of Yukyukbong.

And this sliced meat—

a young fellow named Yong—
he caught a rabbit.

And the dried ginseng
sprinkled on top—

that's from Makdong's father,
the one I mentioned—

something he'd been
keeping very precious.

And these wild strawberries—
a widow known as Icheondaek—

she picked them in a spot
thick with snakes.

I see.

But all of this

was accomplished
under my strict and thorough leadership—

that I absolutely must
make clear.

The snails were caught by me
personally.

Yes. Understood.

Ugh— you only ever mention the cook—

giving me no credit at all—

I was out at the crack of dawn
catching them—

Understood. I'll remember.

Oh, yes.

My goodness.

The king mentioned me by name!

- You've made it!
- Even young as he is—

he knows how to win
a woman's heart!

Ahem—

"Majesty," "king"—

don't use those words, alright?

Just say "Nosan,"
"Nosan-gun"—

Oh come on, it's just us here—

who cares if we call him
Majesty or king?

Hey now—

You saw him with the tiger
the other day—

- king is king.
- Yeah—

Come on, brother—

if someone hears us
it'll be trouble— stop saying "king"!

Yes, Chief.

There's someone coming
over there—

Oh—

Do you know where
Cheongnyeongpo is?

Oh yes, this way—

Hmm.

Who are you?

We're from
Haeju in Hwanghae Province—

we came to see His Maj—

We came to see Nosan-gun.

From Hwanghae Province?

I've never even been there—

- That's so far away
- Oh, but—

Why have they come to see Nosan-gun?

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

How can heaven
allow such a thing!

Forgive us, Your Majesty—
we the helpless people

Oh, uh— there—

- who could not serve you—
- Hey, hey—

You can't keep calling him
"Your Majesty"—

if the magistrate's office hears this
we'll be in serious trouble!

Your Majesty!

I said you can't!

Your Majesty!

Block them from coming down!
Hurry!

Don't say "Your Majesty"!

Your Majesty!

I said don't say it—

Your Majesty!

Crying is fine—
just don't say "Your Majesty"!

Oh, crying is fine—

- Please accept these—
- Hey—

What are you throwing?

Don't throw things!

- Don't throw—
- Your Majesty!

Oh, honestly—

Your Majesty—
please be well.

Your Majesty.

Raise your heads.

Was the letter delivered?

As commanded, I delivered it personally
to the palace attendant, Your Highness.

Go back to Yeongwol.

When you get there—
find the Geomgaksan mountain tree

visible directly from His Majesty's quarters—
and hang a white robe on it.

His Majesty will then shoot an arrow
with his reply attached.

Yes, Your Highness.

Wow!

Things are floating down here!

Oh, careful—

Wow!

- Chief
- Hmm?

How did you think of
such a clever idea?

Oh, this is nothing—

You're truly amazing.

Alright, that's enough—

- Pull it in now, pull it in!
- Wow!

Alright!

Let's see what's inside.

Oh my—

- Wow!
- What is this?

Wow!

- It's ginseng— ginseng!
- Wow!

Wow!

- Goodness!
- Ooh!

Wow!

Dried fish! Dried fish!

Bigger than my palm!

Look at the beef jerky!

- Hey, what's this?
- There are fish pancakes too!

I knew it— I knew it!

Maybe not a donkey, but at least
we'll never go hungry again—

That's what I said, wasn't it?

You did!

Being village chief isn't something
just anyone can do.

I always believed in our chief—
always!

Oh, damn.

The nerve of some people.

Aigo.

Aigo.

You scared me!

What brings you out here
in the dead of night?

Hmm?

Who is it?

His lordship?

His lordship?

His lordship is here!

- His lordship's here!
- Sir, sir!

How did you come
all the way out here—

Aigo, here—

Why are you all so startled?

Looking like you've seen
something you shouldn't have—

- Who is that young man?
- Aigo—

Makdong, that's not right.

- Makdong, quiet—
- Hush—

I am Yi Hong-wi.

So you're the one who caught fish
with the traps.

Yes.

Oh, Makdong—

Oh, and over here—

- This is Icheondaek.
- Icheondaek.

Wild strawberries.

Wild strawberries— yes.

The ones from where
all the snakes are.

Oh.

So you're the Icheondaek
who picked the wild strawberries.

- Yes, yes
- Yes, sir.

Makdong's mother.

Oh, so you're the one
who cooked the meals— Makdong's mother?

Oh, yes.

The mountain ginseng you sent
was wonderful— Makdong's father.

I— I'm Makdong's father.

And you must be
the one who caught the rabbit—

Yes, I'm— Yong. Yong.

I hear you're quite the runner.

Oh yes, this fellow here—

best runner in all of Yeongwol.

And the wild pepper you sent—

the zingy taste was exceptional.

Oh, not at all—

It's a bit tricky to dry properly.

And these people in the back—

Oh, yes— they—

these are foods the villagers left
for you—

before bringing them to you,
we were just checking

to make sure nothing had gone bad—

just going through it quickly
like this—

we absolutely did not
touch any of it.

No.

This came to Gwangcheongol.

So it belongs to all of you.

But these are precious gifts
sent for you—

how could we humble folk—

Oh, such a generous spirit—

so very...

such a kind heart.

I want to learn
to read and write.

Please become my teacher.

I heard you had no interest in studying.

What changed your mind?

What changed your mind?

For people like me—
country folk—

even if we want to read,
we can't get our hands on books—

even if we want to learn,
there's no teacher—

and even if we learned—

passing the civil exam
seemed impossible.

But—

with a teacher like you—

I thought that slim chance

could be broken through.

So—

I want to go to court

and change things.

A world where even a country bumpkin
with no connections,

even a commoner, a servant—

has an equal chance.

A world of equal opportunity.

A world of equal opportunity, you say.

Very well.

Let us try.

"Virtue is never lonely—
it always has neighbors."

A person of virtue
is never alone—

they always have
those who come to them.

Over there, over there—

just put it over here
for now.

My goodness.

Alright.

Aigo.

Oh, your generosity— ah—

They say the tail end
is the tastiest part.

Please, eat.

You take the good parts.

Aigo.

Even an uneducated man like me
couldn't do that.

Something this precious—

let's share it.

Write the character
for "house"— 宇.

House— 宇.

House— 宇, Abode— 宙.

House— 宇, Abode— 宙.

Vast— 洪, Wild— 荒.

Vast— 洪,
Wild— 荒.

The rain that fell—

swept everything away
and the people couldn't move—

he was sending all kinds of things—

tied to a rope

and launched across.

This bowstring—

made from silk thread spun
by silkworms fed on mulberry leaves—

is incomparably stronger
than any other bowstring.

The man who invented
the rain gauge was a servant.

My grandfather and father were not ashamed to learn from him.

- Learning knows no rank— - Hey— and knowledge has no noble or lowly.

Go.

Why?

Go.

Where?

Oh, ugh—

The night before digging ginseng, you must
absolutely not share a bed with your wife.

- At night—
- Oh, ugh—

Sun (day); Moon (month).

Full, waxing; tilt, waning.

Full, waxing; tilt, waning.

A boar THIS big was coming right at me—
like this!

Makdong!
Father, should we use this one? This one?

This?

Is our Makdong
going to use this too?

Did I do good?

Yeah, yeah!
Our Makdong did great.

Father, I walked!

Oh my, well done!
Our Makdong!

Wow, it's beautiful.

That thing.

Move that side a little this way.

- Yeah, that's fine, that's fine.
- Is it okay now?

- Yeah, yeah.
- Yes.

Wow.

Our Makdong
has his very own name tag now.

They say Nosan
fought a tiger face-to-face.

The biggest coward in the land, no less.

Clearly cooked up
by those who love to spin tall tales.

A baseless story—no doubt about it.

Who would believe that?

It was their complacency
that allowed us to seize power.

Let a seedling grow unchecked,
and before long it becomes a great tree.

You— Keep a close eye on Prince Geumseong.

I'll head to Yeongwol.

His Majesty
will be pleased by your loyalty.

Your Majesty.

The time has finally come
to set history right.

I, Geumseong,

along with Governor of Sunheung, Yi Bo-heum,

Governor Yu Gwi-san,

Deputy Commissioner Jo Yu-rye, and others—

have been planning an uprising.

The regional governors
will join our cause as well.

However,

without Your Majesty's approval,

we dare not
act rashly.

So we humbly ask
that Your Majesty—

please—

send word of your approval.

We implore you with all our hearts.

The author of the letter sent to Nosan— was none other than Prince Geumseong.

Yes.

And what did it say?

With nothing but a glib tongue,

you've falsified history,

and clawed your way up to a senior post—

what would you do with the truth?

The families of traitors— are sent into exile or made into slaves.

But your family—I'll deal with them personally.

I'll tear them limb from limb and scatter them across all eight provinces.

Han Myeong-hoe, you wretch!

The crime of defiling this kingdom— will never be forgotten throughout all ages.

Anyone in contact with Nosan— must die. Every last one.

He's gone missing?

Yes.

Several days have passed since he left for Yeongwol on Your Highness's orders, and not only has he not returned— there's been no word at all.

You go to Yeongwol.

Go and check the signal.

Yes, Your Highness.

Starting today,

orders have come down from the court
to strictly guard

the exile's quarters.

The front four will guard
the exile's main gate,

rotating shifts day and night.

The remaining four in back
will patrol the premises.

From this point forward, we guard the exile's quarters without exception.

Yes, sir.

Where are you headed?

Nosan-gun's been having nightmares every night, so—

they say gastrodia root helps,
so I'm going to dig some up.

You take better care of him than your own son.

If there's any left, give me some too.

What for?

You having nightmares too?

Yeah, I have nightmares too.

Really awful ones.

Dreams about my father.

Hey, you—

Your father appearing in your dreams—

how is that a nightmare, huh?

That's a good omen, you fool.

So, uh... what is this?

Oh, this— the village kids
wrote something in Hangul,

and, well—

Nosan-gun said
he wanted to see it himself,

so I got it from the kids.

Oh.

Right, go ahead and show him.

He'll be so pleased when he sees it.

Look at this clever kid!

- Take care, Father.
- Will do.

This is—

Here it is.

Oh, what are you
trying to catch this time?

Is that why you just fired like that?

For being weak and foolish—

for failing to protect the people I cared about—

I aimed at myself.

Weak, you say?

You?

If you're so weak,
how did you catch a tiger?

One THIS big!

And if you're so foolish, how did you teach
people who couldn't read a single word

how to read?

And fluently, at that!

Therefore—

you are—

not weak,

and not foolish.

Right.

Hearing you put it that way... I suppose you're right.

- Right.
- Of course!

Wait, wait!
Just a moment, that's all.

I'm here to see the village chief—
just a moment, please.

- Village Chief!
- Oh, it's Yong.

Taesan—
Taesan's been dragged to the magistrate's office!

- What?
- Village Chief!

Wait, wait— Village Chief, please!

Stop.

I've come to see
the county magistrate.

Please— just let us in.

- Who do you think you are!
- Please— just let us in!

Let us through, damn it!

Eleven!

Twelve!

- Thirteen!
- Oh no— Taesan! Taesan!

Ugh— no, no— please...

Oh no— please...

What— what on earth is—

Father...

What in the world happened here?

Someone was said to be sneaking in and out of the exile's residence, so I ordered him brought in.

Ugh...

This boy is my son.

He wasn't sneaking around— I sent him on an errand myself.

No one but the designated caretaker is permitted to enter the exile's residence. That is the rule!

He should receive a hundred lashes.

Then—

Since I'm the one who sent him,

I'll take the lashing.

Please, release my son.

- What?
- What are you all doing—

drag this ignorant fool out
right this instant!

- Yes, sir.
- My lord—

Please release him.

Please, my lord?

Every time I come here,
you're the one causing a scene.

My lord—

I acted out of ignorance
and made a mistake.

Please forgive me, my lord.

Strange, troubling rumors
were reaching me,

so I came to see for myself—

and sure enough, you've been up to
something deeply irregular.

Yes.

Yes, you're right. I was wrong.

It's entirely my fault.

So punish me—

but please, my son—

Violating the law of the land is not an offense to be taken lightly.

Yes, I know.

A thousand times, ten thousand times—
you are absolutely right.

But a hundred lashes—

that will kill him, or cripple him for life, my lord.

Keep going.

- My lord—
- What are you doing! Keep going!

Keep going.

- Yes, sir.
- My lord—

- Thirteen!
- Oh, Taesan—

Stop!

Release this man at once.

He is someone who entered
the exile's residence without authorization.

He may have stolen something,

or even intended to harm Lord Nosan-gun.

We simply don't know.

I called for him.

Exile gets lonely—
I simply wanted someone to talk to.

I was the one who summoned him.

So—

release him immediately.

What shall we do, my lord?

Keep going.

My lord—

My lord, please—

Beat him until he's dead.

My lord!

My lord—

Beat him to death.

Han Myeong-hoe, how dare you—

insult a member of the royal family!

That Nosan still thinks
he's the king.

Han Myeong-hoe, you bastard!

Hit him.

Hit him and— kill him.

I told you to stop!

If Nosan-gun does not return
to his quarters right now—

two hundred, three hundred lashes—

that man will be beaten to death
before the day is out.

My lord—

If you keep this up, my lord,

we'll only suffer more for it.

Please— just go back.

They said they'll kill Taesan!

Please go back— please?

What are you all doing?

Escort Lord Nosan-gun
back to his quarters immediately.

Lowly as I am, I forgot my place and acted without being asked to.

I had lost sight of it—

who I should be following,

whose orders I should be obeying,

who the king of this land is now.

We cannot afford to wait a moment longer.

Nosan's eyes have changed.

Those weak, sickly eyes—

since coming here,

have become the eyes of a tiger.

The criminal Nosan-gun...

That Nosan still thinks
he's the king.

Strike.

Strike and— kill him.

Your Majesty—

please send word of your approval—

I beg you with all my heart.

Prince Geumseong has raised troops

to overthrow Your Majesty

and restore Nosan to the throne—
that much is certain.

We must gather more regional governors and officials who will join our cause.

As quietly as possible.

After today's events,
Nosan's resolve will only harden.

He will surely— join the uprising.

Nosan must die for your son to live.

And for your village to survive.

You must get your hands on proof of the treason. No matter what.

All troops are ready
to march on Hanyang.

We can delay no longer.

Even without His Majesty's approval,
we must act.

What happened?

Uncle—

I am no longer—

a helpless exile, but a witness to history—

and I will stand by your side, Uncle.

If a successful uprising
becomes the master of history,

then the Joseon that follows

will see bloodsoaked battles for the throne,
driven by swords and spears,

for decades—

even centuries to come.

And—

even if the uprising fails—

the record that we tried to right a wrongful history—

that we risked our lives
and resisted—

will be passed down to future generations.

Stay in Sunheung, Uncle.

I will come to you.

To the shrine tree at Madaesan
you spoke of.

To correct the wrongs of history
once more—

for the sake of Joseon's royal shrines
and the peace of its people—

Nosan and Prince Geumseong have been secretly in contact, and the situation in Sunheung is far from ordinary.

Blood is going to flow.

Prepare to leave.

Yes, sir.

All preparations are complete.

You— go to Madaesan.

Go there and escort His Majesty back.

I, Deputy Commissioner Jo Yu-rye—

will carry out that order.

- Let's go.
- Yes, sir.

The time has finally come
to end this false, distorted history.

Now—

we end the history of treason

and open the door to

a new Joseon for the people.

I'll stay here and join the moment His Majesty arrives.

All forces, led by the cavalry—

march out!

Advance!

Don't do it.

What are you saying?

That Prince Geumseong was pushing you
into starting an uprising—

Lord Han Myeong-hoe told me.

He told me to report your every move
without fail,

and if anything suspicious came up,
to go to the magistrate without delay.

So—

did you notice - something suspicious? - Yes.

I saw a man collecting the letter you had written.

Please, stop.

And if I don't?

If you won't—

then I—

will go to the magistrate.

Not even once—

do you know what it means to live
without ever choosing your own path?

I became Crown Prince by my father's will,

ascended to the throne,

and was cast out by Uncle Suyang's ambition—

to end up like this.

But—

now I know.

Why heaven has kept me
in this world until now.

Why I must live.

The ones who helped me understand that—

are you and Taesan,

and the people of this village.

I won't stop.

And you— go to the magistrate.

If you do,

you and everyone in this village

will be safe.

My lord—

My lord—

You're really— going to go through with it?

I can't bear to lose any more people I hold dear because of me.

Please give my regards to everyone.

Am I— included in that?

You said you didn't want to lose
any more people you care about.

Am I one of those people?

You— aren't you?

Of course I am.

What is the status
of our troops' movement?

Yes, sir.

By now, our forces should have passed Danyang
and reached Jecheon.

There are additional forces there
who are set to join us.

All forces— advance!

Once those forces merge with ours, our strength and morale will be unstoppable.

With the combined forces, we'll march through Yeoju

and rally at Maebongsan,

where we'll await Your Majesty's
and the Prince's orders.

Once Your Majesty arrives
at the rally point at Maebongsan,

we can reach Sungnyemun Gate of Hanyang
before dawn.

From Sungnyemun to the palace
is less than an hour.

The gate guards
have pledged to join us,

and their forces inside the palace number two hundred—

while ours number eighteen hundred.

Victory is only a matter of time.

He must have met with His Majesty
by now, don't you think?

Please, let them be safe—

he needs to meet with the Deputy Commissioner.

Are you alright?

I'm fine.

I still remember the first time I met you—

back at Cheongnyeongpo.

- Really?
- Yes.

What was I like back then?

What do you think?

Hmm... honestly—

quite handsome?

I'd say I'm a bit better looking, actually.

Let's go.

We're here.

This is the village shrine.

Wait here.

There's no one here. I'm sure this is the right place—

Who's there?

Who's there?

Your Majesty—

I am Jo Yu-rye,
Deputy Commissioner.

You've come a long way. Well done.

All preparations for the uprising
are complete.

Let us go, Your Majesty.

Let's go.

Where are you
rushing off to in such a hurry?

Han Myeong-hoe—

do you understand now why I exiled Geumseong and Nosan to Sunheung and Yeongwol— so close to one another?

The moment those treasonous ringleaders made contact with each other— this day was always the plan.

Those vile rebels—

cut them down.

You two—
ensure His Majesty's safety.

I'll handle things here.

Yes, sir.

He should have arrived by now— why is he taking so long?

We can't
wait any longer.

The longer a large force takes to move, the greater the chance they'll catch on.

He's right.

We cannot simply sit here and wait,
Your Highness.

We have to stop them—
no matter what.

After them!

We head for Madaesan in Danyang.

There I'll personally escort His Majesty

and we advance on Hanyang.

Protect His Majesty!

My lord—

The more you resist, the more blood will be shed by those who follow you.

Han Myeong-hoe—

do you truly wish to be remembered
as a villain of history?

I told you I'd come back
with a sword in one hand

and a reward in the other.

And yet you— you chose the sword.

You and your son—

along with every living thing in that village—

will be wiped from the face of the earth.

Yes.

Then just— just take me—

- Just me...
- You wretch!

You read my letter,

led the way yourself,

and set this whole trap?

You swore your loyalty to Han Myeong-hoe— what was promised to you in return?

Your son's rise to power and glory?

You godless wretch.

My lord—

Don't say a word.

None of it matters now.

Restrain the traitor!

Yes, sir!

My lord—

My lord—

My lord—

My lord—

The arch-traitor, Prince Geumseong Yi Yu— receive the royal poison.

Your Majesty—

It is I, Geumseong.

I was not capable enough—

to protect

Your Majesty's safety.

Please— be well and reign long.

My lord—

Why did you do that?

Why must you carry it all alone?

Come in.

This way.

How have you been?

I keep thinking about the radish soup
Makdong's mother used to make. It's been torturing me.

I wonder if Makdong
has been getting through the Thousand Character Classic—

and whether Taesan, who took those lashes,

has healed up well.

I find myself worrying about them.

Everyone's doing well.

Yes.

And—

more than anything,
I wanted to see my warden's face again.

This handsome face, you mean?

Seeing it again—

still as striking as ever.

There is something I need to ask of you. Something important.

Yes?

Go ahead.

The arch-traitor— Yi Hong-wi— receive the royal poison.

The traitor Yi Hong-wi,

despite His Majesty the King's
boundless grace and mercy,

conspired with Prince Geumseong and his followers

to commit an act of treason
that outrages heaven and man alike.

Therefore,

we issue the royal poison. This is the King's command—

come out and receive it at once.

No— please, no—

My lord—

Drag the prisoner out.

Yes, sir.

How dare you!

How dare you desecrate
a member of the royal family's dwelling!

Damn it all—

what the hell—

Can't even deal with one traitor—

what a disgrace.

Hmm?

Give me a moment— and I'll drag him out.

Oh— I—

Your Majesty—

It's Eom Heung-do, your warden.

It is time— to cross the river.

When the time comes,

use that bowstring—

please—

by your own hand—

end my life.

I won't die at their hands.

To die from the poison they send—

to die like that—

I'd rather die first.

I'm begging you.

Please— by your hand— let me cross the river.

Your Majesty—

Yes.

I will help you cross.

Let's go.

Yes.

Let's be on our way.

Yes.

Your Majesty—

I go now.

I go now!

I go now!

Just a little longer— hold on just a little longer.

We're almost there.

We're almost there, Your Majesty.

We've reached the riverside, Your Majesty.

I go now!

Your Majesty—

Your Majesty—

Get inside.

Anyone who retrieves Nosan's body

or gives him a burial—

without exception,
their entire clan will be destroyed.

From the moment I took my first steps— you were always by my side.

You have been my friend,

my sister,

and my mother.

Leaving behind those cherished days, I now set off on my journey.

Far in the future,

if we are born again—

even then,

I hope you'll be my friend once more.

And I—

would gladly be your friend once more.

My lord—

It's cold, isn't it?

Come now— let's go.

Somewhere warm—

let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.